Invert or block for sewers and pipes.



PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907.

W. HALL. INVERT 0R BLOCK FOR SEWERS AND PIPE APPLICATION FILED PEB. 26.1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 865,382. 4 PATLNTED SEPT; 1o, 1907.

W. HALL.

INVLRT 0R BLOCK PoR sBWLRs AND PILES.

APPLICATION FILED FEBRS. 1906.

PATENTED SEPT. l0, 1907.

WATKIN HALL, OF GREAT CROSBY, NEAR LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

INVERT OR BLOCK FOR SEWERS AND PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

Application filed February 26, 1906. Serial No. 303,097.

10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WATKIN HALL, a subject ol the King ol Great Britain,residing in Great Crosby, near Liverpool, in the county oi Lancaster',in the Kingdom or' England, civil engineer, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Inverts or Blocks or Sewers and Pipes, forwhich application has been made in Great Britain, No. 4,296, dated the1st March, 1905.

This invention relates to inverts or blocks for sewers, pipes and thelike, and is best described with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation ot' an invert with sewerbuilt thereon, and a setting or foundation below; Fig. 2 a perspectiveview of the invert block; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 diagrammatic end views oiorms oi invert blocks hereinafter described; Figs. 6 and '7, furtherviews ol invert blocks in one with the pipes; Fig. 8 a plan view i ofthe invert block shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 9 a plan view of Fig. 1 with theinvert removed, Fig. 10, a cross section of an invert; Fig. 11, alongitudinal section of two adjacent ends of inverts, Fig. 12, an endview oi an invert and pipe; Fig. 13, a longitudinal section of twoadjacent ends thereof.

ln sewer invert blocks, holes or cavities are usually provided in theblock for the purpose oi lightening it, and effecting an economy in theamount of material used. By my present invention l greatly strengthenthese blocks a by forming the cavities of which there may be any numberin the blocks in the lorm oi tunnels or arches b b] b2 (Figs. 1, 2, 8,10 and 1l) in order to bear a greater weight or resist greater pressurethan would otherwise be possible. The arches can be in the form shown,or in the segment oi a circle, or they may be in the lorm of pointedarches formed of two arcs of circles described from different centersand meeting at the crown, or in fact the arches may be any suitableshape, l also propose to prepare or arrange these arched cavities b bb2, so as to act as surface or drainage channels ierland drainage.

At the bottom el the block are perforations c through which land wat-ercan pcrcolate into the cavities b2. The periorations are covered with asuitable shield or Iilter c1 to prevent earthy matters entering throughthe perforations. This shield or filter can be in one with the invert orblock, or separate, in which latter case it is coupled thereto in anysuitable manner, or simply be formed oi brick bats or rubble d. Therecan be say six cavities or passages b2 b1 b b bl b2 in each block. Theoutermost ones b2 b2 can be used as settling chambers ior the land waterentering through the perforations c. Through periorations e, water flowsinto the next cavities bl b1, which also act as settling chambers andthen by passages f into thecenter chamber or chambers b,

and these when the blocks are placed in position orm continuouspassages, for leading the land water to the place oi outlet. There is nodanger ol the land water gaining access to the sewer, as it can easilyiind an outlet through these auxiliary passages below.

An invert block made inthe manner above described, will stand anenormous crushing test. The curved surlace g of the invert block can belaced or formed with a coating of a fine vitreous nature, which willeffectively prevent leakage of sewer water into the land drainagecavities below. In order to cause two concentric rows of bricks h ofwhich the sewer or pipe is built to break joint, the block is made withthree steps t', with a shoulder or abutment c between each step. Withthree rows oi bricks four steps will be provided with an abutmentbetween each and so on. There is always one more step on each side thanthe layers oi bricks used so that the outer layer has an abutment tokeep in position without necessitating the use of concrete. The invertblocks are also provided with a cradle joint Z Z1 best seen in Figs. 2,11 and 13, consisting of an abutment Z1 at one end engaging in a cradleZ at the end of the adjacent block. They are also provided with a lip mengaging a corresponding lip n in the adjacent block. The lip m has nogso engaging corresponding depressions in the adjacent block. These arefor preventing lateral movement of the blocks. i The method or' layingthese invert blocks in very bad ground will be best understood fromFigs. 1 and 9. The usual trench is made, then two permanent rows oftimber p p are placed in the trench and a special grid like framework oftimber is provided which is nailed to the timbers p. This frameworkconsists of the spars q and cross pieces r and the spaces between thespars are iilled up level with dry concrete s the outside spaces beinglilled With dry rubble d. The blocks are laid on this bed, a small layeret clay t being placed on the outer ol the spars g, as shown to keepcement away from the perlorations c in the blocks a. The rubble orbrickv bats are filled to about the level shown, then the drainor sewerbuilt up in the ordinary manner. z are the timbers which are removedfrom the trench when lilling up takes place. v

ln thus describing my invention, l wish it to be understood that I donot confine my invention to using these invert blocks for sewers only,as they can be applied or supporting pipes, conduits, and the like, asshown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, where strength is required, or where it isdesirable to provide means below for carryi ng off the landy drainage,they can be formed integral with pipes, as in Figs. 3 and 4, 6 and 7, l2and 13, or separate as in Fig. 5. The block shown in Figs. 12 and 13 hasa base considerably wider than the pipe.

x are panels Which are similar to ordinary panels, except that they areopen at the sides y, so that cement can be inserted after the blocks areplaced together in the trench, and so act as dowels.

The piers of the arches b b1 b2 are by preference vertical, to takedirect thrust, though not absolutely necessarily so. Diagonal air shaftslead from each manhole to the tunnels b b1 and are arranged to allow ofHrodding being passed down to remove obstructions and so prevent thedrain being air bound.

Figs. l0 and ll show the form the blocks a assume where air shafts areprovided. u are the air shafts in the block. The air shafts from eachchannel b b converge in a single channel u one at each side. The outercourse of brickwork is omitted from the second pair of steps i and acourse of brickwork is built up on the third step i which in this caseis provided with a rib v. Consequently a diagonal air passage from u tothe manhole above is formed by the course of brickwork on the middlestep t' being left out.

The small percolation holes c are arranged throughout the under face ofthe first or outer chambers b2, and preferably taper upwards from thevoutside or even in the opposite direction. The connecting channels cand f from the settling chambers to the inner water passages arepreferably at a fairly high level sloping upwards7 namely near thespring of the arches. Owing to the strength of this invert or block noconcrete rein forcement of the actual block is necessary.

I declare that what I claim is:-

l. An invert or sole block having continuous land drainage channels theupper portions only of such channels being in communication with eachother to allow said channels to act as settling chambers, there beingwater entrance openings extending downward from certain of the channelsto the base of the invert.

2. An invert or sole block having a series of continuous communicatingland drainage channels connected in series, there being water entranceopenings extending downward from the primary channel to the base of theinvert.

An invert or sole block having,l channels in its base to form continuouspassages and clarifying chambers for land water, said channels beingconnected in series with the base by rising channels or openings.

-l. The combination with inver-ts or blocks for pipes made with channelsin the base, and perforations for admitting land water into saidchannels, of a bed or foundation for the block, consisting, of aframework made of longitudinal bars and cross-pieces with a filling ofcementy said framework being so made as to keep the cement away from thesaid perfor-ations, and a filling of rubble at each side of the saidframework.

In witness whereof, I have. hereunto signed my name this 17th day ofFebruary 1906, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WATKIN HALL.

Witnesses 1 G. C. DyiioND, M. lIArLns.

